Hayley Newton shares her advice
You may be lethargic, or you may just need a push, and that push will come from increased energy. There is nothing like being energetic for a workout. That energy rush really enhances your fitness regime.
While intense exercise may tire you out, it also reduces tension so that after an hour or so, when your muscles begin to recover, you might see a surge of energy but without tension. This is a great way to start the day or loosen up after a hard day at work.
High impact classes give you the opportunity to test your physical fitness and offer an excellent 'all body' workout. The intensity of high energy classes may be too demanding for inactive users or beginners, however, if you feel up for the challenge I strongly advise you give it a go. The first class is always the hardest. If you go back and attend the 2nd and 3rd class, you've really cracked it. There is nothing worse than being put off a lesson the first time you attend. I remember my first Bikram Yoga class. I was attentive, keen and eager to get started. I had brought along my towel, water and mat, and had really thought I would sail through the class. 45 minutes later I was feeling dizzy and ready to leave. I couldn't understand what all the fuss was about. Yes I felt supple and toned, but I also felt claustrophobic and light headed as well.
After I left the class a lady who had obviously noticed my stress came up to me, "I promise it all gets easier. My first class was hell, but now I'm addicted." Like I said before. That first class is the hurdle. Once you clamber over that, it's mostly plain sailing, and you can start to really enjoy your workout. It's just adjusting yourself to your new environment, and finding out which class is best for YOU.
If you train on a regular basis and are already quite fit you might try sprint training. One study has shown that 6 sessions of 4-7 30 second sprints, with up to 4 mins of recovering in-between sprints (recovery depending on your level of fitness), could be as affective in improving your cardio, as an hour of daily moderate aerobic exercise. This type of training can cut down less time in the gym. For all you working people out there who NEVER have the time to train. This could be the solution for you.
A regular high-intensity, three-minute workout has a significant effect on the body’s ability to process sugars and also cuts the risk of diabetes. A win win situation!
A quick tip is you can get more out of your workout time by eating some fruit just before you start. Have an excellent week and keep working out!
Follow Hayley on Twitter @HayleySNewton or visit www.hayleynewton.com
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